'Happy, smiley' boy, 5, died after falling 15 floors onto railings from east London tower block, inquest hears

24 May 2024, 10:48

A five-year-old boy died after falling more than 15 floors onto railings from an east London tower block, an inquest has heard.

Aalim Ahmed died instantly after the fall from a window on the 15th floor of Jacobs House on New City Road on May 16.

Aalim's father discovered his body shortly before 6am that day, Walthamstow Coroner's Court heard on Friday.

Locals contacted emergency services after hearing the man's "distressed" cries.

Paramedics arrived at 6.04am and police arrived three minutes later. Assistant coroner Ian Wade KC said he was opening a "coronial investigation" because he is "quite satisfied that Ahmed's death was not from natural causes".

Read more: Tragedy as 'happy, smiley, energetic' boy, six, dies after falling from 15th floor of London tower block

Read more: Father screamed 'my boy is dead' after five-year-old son 'fell from kitchen window' of 15th floor flat in east London

Aalim's aunt, Maryam Hadafow, paid tribute to the "lovely, lovely boy" who she described as "very sweet".

She said: "He had got up before his parents and he fell from the kitchen window."

His mother had written emails about the windows and doors to the council five times and said: "this is not safe for my kids," she said.

Abi Gbago, chief executive of Newham Council, said: "We are undertaking a full investigation to reach the fullest possible understanding of what happened, and will fully support any other investigations.

"Once all of the relevant facts are established and investigations are concluded, which we will do as quickly as possible, we will provide an update."

Caroline Stone, head teacher at New City Primary School in Plaistow, said in the school's weekly newsletter: "As you will have heard, Aalim had a tragic accident yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family."

“Apparently, the boy was up early and then fell from the window."

A neighbour who lived on the same floor as the family told LBC she had spoken to the boy’s aunt this morning who told him he had fallen from a kitchen window.

She said that inside the flat, the family had a table in front of the window, and the window itself was broken.

She said the boy was “He was happy, smiley, energetic - he said hi to me every morning."

A neighbour told the Evening Standard: “I spoke to the mum a few weeks ago and I saw her with her son in the lift with her boy, he was lovely. Today she could barely speak.”

A mother-of-two, 28, told the paper: “We are in utter shock."